


I Need Help

by Feral_Goblin



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Injured Doctor (Doctor Who), at least the doctor's thrilled about him, but they're not really thrilled about him either, master comes to the rescue, though he's not exactly thrilled about the fam
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:21:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23074675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feral_Goblin/pseuds/Feral_Goblin
Summary: The Doctor is injured and her friends don't know what to do. Without a TARDIS, aliens on the loose, and with no regeneration in sight there's only one person she can turn to.She needs her oldest friend in the universe.
Relationships: The Doctor & The Master (Doctor Who), The Doctor/The Master (Doctor Who), Thirteenth Doctor & The Master (Dhawan), Thirteenth Doctor/The Master (Dhawan)
Comments: 57
Kudos: 399





	1. Reaching Out

**Author's Note:**

> So I haven't done a fic before and I have done any kind of creative writing in forever, so this might be terrible. I'm just trying to get back in the hang of actually writing for fun, hopefully I make something good in the process.
> 
> I'm not entirely sure where this story is headed either, but I have ideas for multiple different stories, but all of them are Thirteen/Master. So if I post different fics they may be totally separate from this. But I'll defo be updating this one. So if you enjoy it keep your eyes peeled.
> 
> Any constructive criticism is welcome. Hope y'all enjoy it!

“Doctor!”

She could faintly hear their cries over the ringing in her ears. It was like she was underwater, quite peaceful really. Well it would be if it weren’t for the giant claw in her stomach tearing apart her internal organs and the equally giant hand wrapped around her throat holding her about a foot off the ground. Little black spots danced in her vision and searing hot pain was spreading through her body.

But other than all that, it was just like a holiday.

“Doc! C’mon stay with us!”

Her head was starting to lull and the little black spots were doubling with every blink, the darkness was growing and the colours of the world around her seemed to drain. 

She could really do with a holiday.

The claw was suddenly wrenched from her abdomen and the hand released from her throat. The  _ crack _ of her body hitting the floor raised gasps from the fam. The breath was knocked from her lungs and she wheezed as she rolled flat onto her back.

The beach would be nice. She loved a good beach.

With the claw gone and oxygen rushing back to her head she could feel the full intensity of her broken body. Her intestines torn to shreds. The blood dripping down her side and soaking through her top. She let out a small cry as a tear rolled down her cheek and settled in her hair.

She could build one hell of a sandcastle.

The creature stepped back and laughed. “The great and powerful Doctor, finally defeated by the greatest race in the universe!”

A chorus of cheers and applause and self-congratulation erupted from those holding Yaz, Graham, and Ryan, who in turn were busy staring at the Doctor’s limp form. Silent on the outside, but screaming inside their heads for her to get up. To move. To wink at them and reveal she had the upper hand all along. To show any sign that she was okay.

She was most certainly not okay.

“Shall we celebrate?” The creature waved its arms theatrically, goaded on by the enthusiastic agreement of its friends.

“Let’s kill the girl and make the others watch!” Yaz struggled under its grip, finally tearing her eyes off the mangled body in front of her.

The Doctor went to move, do anything, she had to protect her friends. Her fam. A small sob escaped her throat as she tried to lift her head, the pain was too much. She couldn’t save them. 

“We should make them kill each other! Fight to the death, take bets!”

A few more tears ran down her face. Everything hurt.

“Drown them!”

Her mind started to cloud over. It hurt so much.

“Burn them!”

This was too much. Why wasn’t she regenerating?

“No.” The creature paced around the Doctor and over to his friends, close enough to make Ryan gag at the stench. 

“Let them live. Let them tell stories about how we defeated the all powerful Doctor.”

The others loosened their grip on the humans, letting out low growls and grunts of disappointment.

“Now, now. We will still have our celebrations,” the creature leant forward and lowered its voice. “Let’s go for a  _ hunt _ !”

Yaz, Graham, and Ryan were pushed to the ground as the creatures abandoned them and fled into the streets, chanting and laughing. Whatever they were hunting, it was something they needed to stop. But first, the Doctor was their priority.

Yaz scrambled over to her, she was pale. Really pale. Hauntingly pale. She placed a delicate hand on her head, it was like ice.

“Oh god.” Yaz managed to choke out.

Graham and Ryan quickly joined by her side. The Doctor shifted, her eyes fluttering open slightly. A faint smile spread across her face, they were okay.

The concrete seemed to be getting warmer underneath her, although that may have just been the blood starting to pool. She needed to get up, now. However, the blinding pain that shot through her as she attempted to lift herself up told that anything other than laying down still wasn’t in the cards.

“Doc, don’t try to move, you’re gonna make it worse.” said Graham.

“Here,” Yaz tore her leather jacket off, crumpling it into a ball. She gently lifted the Doctor’s head and slid it underneath. “See? All comfy now.” She was trying to be light-hearted but the trembling in her voice wasn’t convincing anyone.

The pain was getting worse by the minute, lulling into a dull ache and then tearing through her body in waves. She could barely think.

“Doctor what can we do? What do you need?” Ryan said, his voice shaking.

What did she need?

Painkillers? No, human painkillers aren’t effective at all on a timelord, the equivalent of taking a sugar pill.

“Yeah Doc, anything at all, just name it. We’ll pop wherever you need, get whatever you want.” said Graham.

A needle and thread? No, she couldn’t move to a cleaner area and this wasn’t the environment to conduct surgery in. It would absolutely get infected.

She couldn’t take care of this mess herself, she needed someone who knew what they were doing.

“Help. I- I need help.” She said through gritted teeth.

“We could try and get that Jack chap? Don’t suppose he has a phone or something?”

God knows how she’d contact Jack. Martha? She had the skills but no access to the correct medicines, especially now UNIT was suspended.

“No. Not Jack. Dunno how to find...” She trailed off. Her brain fog was getting worse.

She needed someone intelligent, who knew how to treat her wounds, who had everything required to fix her, who knew her biology. 

She needed a Time Lord.

She needed a friend. 

“I need  _ him _ .”

The fam looked at each other, worry lined their faces. Who was  _ Him _ ? Yaz looked down and saw the pool of blood beneath the Doctor slowly growing. This was an effect of blood loss wasn’t it? She felt sick. 

The Doctor breathed out slowly, relaxing every single muscle one by one. Clearing her thoughts and opening her mind. A slow smile stretched across her face.

_ Contact _

Her voice was barely above a whisper. Ryan leant forward to listen, he didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t making sense, she was hurt, and they didn’t have access to the TARDIS. They were all alone with no clue how to help.

The Doctor pushed her mind forward trying to find him. C’mon she  _ needed _ him to answer. The world was still. It was so very quiet. She could feel consciousness starting to slip away. Every part of her body was desperate to hear a response, to just feel his mind, anything. 

There was nothing.

Silence.

_...Contact. _


	2. She's Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master finds the Doctor, or at least what's left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all are so goddamn kind! I was nottt expecting all that praise! Thank you all so so so much!
> 
> This chapter really was not jellin with me, I kept having to rewrite bits that just didn't sound right, but I think I brought it all together okay.
> 
> Hopefully the next part should be in the next few days!!
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy!!

_...Contact. _

That single word washed relief over her, letting out the breath she didn’t even realise she’d been holding. If she didn’t have a gaping hole in her stomach she would’ve laughed.

Normally the Doctor would have danced around the issue before actually asking him for help, as with him that road tended to lead towards owing favours. But the edges of her vision were starting to blur and darken, the pain in her body was unbearable. Burning. Unrelenting. There really was no time for foreplay.

_ I need help. _

_ That’s nice, dear. Good luck with that. _

_ Please. Help me. I don’t have a lot of ti- _

The Doctor cried out. Another wave of agony crashed over her and her body spasmed in response, one of her hearts was starting to burn around the edges. She really didn’t have a lot of time left. 

Yaz jumped forward and entangled her own hand with the Doctor’s.

“It’s okay! We’ll figure something out. We always do.” said Yaz, mostly to herself. The shaky smile she wore was breaking down with every second that passed. The Doctor was going to die and all they could do was watch. Graham saw the fear in her eyes and rested a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back.

“Come here, sweetheart.” Graham said softly.

Yaz brought both hands up to her face, and rested against him. She didn’t know what to do.

_ That it? Didn’t think I’d ever see the day where you go quiet. _

The Doctor tried to focus on his voice, attempting to use it as an anchor in the hope it would keep her grounded, but even that was being swallowed up by the ringing in her ears. She rolled her head and looked down at the hand Yaz had let go of. No golden waves. Not a single spark of regeneration energy. Nothing. Just dull, pale skin. Hot tears slipped down her face. What was wrong with her? What was going to happen to her?

_ Are you actually blanking me? Am I going to have to burn another planet just to get you to respond to me? _

She managed to reach into her trouser pocket, using every bit of strength she had left to get a grasp on the sonic. She slowly raised her arm and pointed it straight up at the sky, letting it scan the area. Her arm fell back down as soon as it was done. She took a deep breath, preparing herself before bringing the sonic up to her temple.

_ Doctor? _

The exasperation from him was palpable.

With a trembling hand, she pressed the trigger, sending the information to him. Her exact location along with the time, date, year, everything he needed to find her. The noise from the sonic was overwhelming and despite her best efforts to keep the walls around her mind in place, they fell and suddenly she was showing him everything. The pain she was in, the panic she felt, he could see it all for just a moment before her thumb released from the metal and the sonic was silent once again. 

_ Doctor. _

He was stern this time. Actually, genuinely concerned. She hadn’t heard that tone from him in a long while. 

It was nice.

She could remember Missy using that voice, the care and affection. Well, a very vague amount of affection - she might have been trying to reform but she'd still been the Master.

Her vision was starting to darken, and a deep ache spread throughout every single muscle. A chill started to settle in her bones. Why was she so cold?

Images of his current regeneration came to the front of her mind, those big dark eyes and the slight curl in his hair. He really won the regen-lottery this time round. Not that he ever seemed to lose, but he really got quite the jackpot with this form. She always ended up with too much ear or too much nose or too much forehead. Always too much of something. But him? He was always  _ perfect _ . She wondered what he thought of her forms, if he liked her new one.

She hoped so.

Everything around her was starting to disappear into a small pinpoint. 

All her strength had been sapped and she could barely stay awake anymore. Her eyes fluttered shut and there was a light  _ clink _ of metal against concrete as the sonic fell out of her grasp onto the ground beneath.

The world was quiet.

Yaz’s soft sobbing grew louder and Graham held onto her tighter.

“Doctor?” whispered Ryan. He tugged lightly on her trouser leg, hoping she would make the slightest movement. Still. She was so still. He felt empty. He felt everything and nothing at once.

The three of them sat there, watching her. Not wanting to even think about the question they would have to face eventually.

What now?

What do they do without her? 

Just go back to what they were doing before?

How could they possibly go back to that after everything they’ve seen?

_ What do they do with the body? _

They didn’t have much time to properly digest any of that before the wheezing and groaning of a TARDIS could be heard from behind them. Whipping their heads around, they desperately scanned the area for any sign of that big blue box of hers. The Doctor always talked to it, as if it was living. They’d always assumed it was just her being eccentric but now they began to wonder, began to hope that it was alive and had come for them. Come for her.

The brief feeling of hope rising within them dissipated quickly as a black transit van materialised in front of them, out of thin air. The Doctor had never really explained the intricacies of a TARDIS to them, but did happen to mention off-handedly once about a “chameleon circuit” being broken, causing the whole police box look. The only other TARDIS they’d seen was disguised as a wooden house in the Australian outback, but that could probably change. That TARDIS probably had a working chameleon circuit. That TARDIS would most likely disguise itself as a transit van when landing in an area like this one. But that TARDIS was owned by…

It couldn’t be.

The side door of the van slid open aggressively and the Master hopped out, taking a few steps forward to survey the area. 

Ryan scrambled to his feet, putting himself between the Master and his friends. He didn’t know what he was here for, but he was absolutely not letting that maniac go near the Doctor.

Graham and Yaz just stared, wide-eyed. Normally Yaz would have been the one to step up and actually do something, but she’d just shut down. Overwhelmed by everything that had just happened. It was all too much.

“Mate, just get back in your stupid van and leave. Now really isn’t the time for any of your games. Just. Leave.” Ryan tried to be threatening but the wavering in his voice really gave him away, a whole lot of grief with just a pinch of fear.

The Master focused on the scene in front of him. One of her silly little humans thought they could take him on.  _ Cute _ . He tilted his head to look round him, finally getting a look at the mangled body on the floor. He felt a pang of  _ something _ in his chest. What the hell had she gotten herself into.

He stalked forwards, placing a hand flat on Ryan’s chest and shoving him to the ground without breaking stride. He finally stopped in front of Graham and Yaz. 

“C’mon, mate. She’s already dead.” Graham pleaded. Yaz let out a sob at the admittance of what had just happened. She didn’t want to believe it. He held onto her even tighter. “Just. Please. Just leave her alone.”

The Master glared at him, emanating rage. Graham was tired of fighting, and this man was a psychopath. He looked over at Ryan, who was still on the floor clutching his ankle. Then down at Yaz, who was looking fearfully up at the Master, faint streaks of black stained her cheeks. Finally, he glanced over his shoulder at the Doctor. The poor Doctor. God rest her soul. 

The Master was stronger, smarter, and faster. They could put up a fight but he was going to get what he wanted in the end. They just have to give him what he wants and hope no one else gets hurt, he really didn’t want to lose anyone else today. Graham looked him in the eye, and gave a sad nod. He carefully moved Yaz over to join Ryan, the three of them watching the scene in front of them.

She had a hole in her stomach. The Master stood there staring at the body at his feet. Anger was clouding his mind, he could hear the blood pumping in his ears. His thoughts were going a mile a minute but he kept looping back to the same one. There was a  _ hole _ in her  _ stomach _ .

Kneeling down, he took her head in his hands. Her skin was cool. Sliding his fingers up to her temples he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, pushing his rage away. His mind reached out.

Nothing.

Just an empty void.


	3. Spark of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master refuses to accept the Doctor's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh. It took me a whole week to do this?? I legit was intending a couple days.
> 
> Thank y'all again for being SO lovely in the comments! I love reading them all so much!
> 
> I swear things are gonna speed up here on out! In terms of plot and time between uploads.
> 
> Once again writing this chapter took so much rewriting. I promise there's gonna be more dialogue and confrontation and all that spicy stuff next chapter! 
> 
> I hope y'all like it!

_Nothing_

_Just an empty void._

“Come on.” He said quietly, disbelief was building within him.

He delved further, trying to find anything, any tiny little spark of her.

Just blackness. Silence.

“Come _on_.” He growled. He was getting louder as his frustration grew.

Dropping his head back, he let himself fall into their connection completely. Scanning. Searching. She wasn’t dead. She couldn’t be dead. He kept going deeper and deeper, but there was nothing. How could there be _nothing_?

“ _Come ON.”_ Losing it entirely, he punched the ground an inch away from her head. The humans behind him jumped, one of them letting out a small gasp.

He stayed hunched over, his hand next to her head and his face inches away from her own. Taking a deep breath he opened his eyes and looked down at her. She really suited this new face. She had such soft features, much better eyebrows than last time. Though he did kind of miss the dramatic flair they used to have. 

Her hair could use a bit of work, he probably had a pair of curling tongs tucked away in his TARDIS she could use, even just a few waves could really improve the look. Subconsciously he twirled a lock of blonde hair around his finger, watching it unfurl as he moved his hand away. He could definitely give her some makeup tips too. He really got into the hang of it with Missy, sometimes putting on a little bit of eyeliner for old time’s sake. A basic smokey eye would be easy enough for her to learn.

Although to do any of that she’d actually need to wake up first. He shook those thoughts away and took her head into his hands again, cupping the sides of her face. With a great sigh, he leant forward until his forehead touched hers.

Ryan, Yaz, and Graham watched in awe. What was he _doing_ ? He was being so gentle, it was almost intimate. Shouldn’t he be looting the body, kicking her while she’s down, gloating with a victory dance, something that _wasn’t_ this? The three of them dared to move just a tiny bit closer, with the hopes of being able to hear what he was mumbling.

He couldn’t help but repeat her name under his breath, like it would somehow help, like she’d hear him. Instead of keeping calm he let his rage and desperation drive him. Looking for a single breadcrumb that could lead him to her. 

She couldn’t just leave him like this.

After everything they’d done, everything they’d been through. This is how she was going to make her exit?

She hadn’t even said goodbye.

Besides, if someone was going to kill her it was going to be him.

No one else was worthy enough.

Not for her.

She had to wake up.

The three humans shuffled back as they noticed his hands, they were glowing. Beautiful golden swirls danced around them both, glittering and shining about their heads and twirling around his arms. Just as quickly as they had started to appear, they began to fade and twinkle away.

It was a drastic measure, but he only used a small amount of energy. Not enough to trigger a regeneration or heal any of her injuries. But enough that when he delved a tiny bit further into her mind, he felt it. A small, warm glow. It wouldn’t have been noticeable if he hadn’t been looking for it. He dived for it and held on tight, clinging to that tiny spark of life that still remained.

“ _Master.”_ Her voice was a whisper but more than enough to spread a grin over his face.

“Doctor.” He breathed back, letting himself bask in this for just a moment before finally letting his forehead move away from hers.

He sat back on his heels and turned to look at the humans. All warmth from his face had gone, and the grin had dropped back down into his usual glare. They were bewildered, frozen. At least they’d stopped crying, that had _really_ started to grate on him.

“Where’s her TARDIS?” He barked.

None of them answered, they just continued to stare at the Doctor. The Master jumped to his feet and clapped loudly, trying to gather their attention.

“I’m really not going to ask again, or do I need to speak slower for you mindless idiots. Where. Is. Her. TARDIS.”

“I- uh. We- we don’t really know,” Ryan stuttered out. “It left as soon as we stepped out. The Doctor said something about doing work on it, she said something was broken.” 

She was always tinkering with that damn thing, always breaking it. No matter how much she denied it he knew damn well how that chameleon circuit broke, that kind of thing doesn’t just happen by itself.

He looked up at the night sky and gave a small grunt of frustration, sliding his hands down his face.

“Of course she did.” He said, his exasperation with her had returned. His hands dropped back to his sides and he turned his head to look back at her, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Useless.”

With a few long strides he was back at her side, crouched down next to her. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face, she stirred slightly at the contact.

“Apologies, dear, this is really going to hurt.” He said before scooping her up into his arms, one arm under her head and the other under her legs.

He strode back over to the van and ducked in, making sure not to bash the Doctor’s head against the door. Ryan, Graham, and Yaz looked at each other, the same thought on all of their minds - what the hell was _any_ of that. 

What was that light? 

Did it just bring her back to life?

Why would _the Master_ bring her back to life?

“As much as I loathe your existence, the Doctor likes her pets and wouldn’t fully appreciate me running off without you.” The Master said, leaning against the van. They hadn’t even noticed him come back out.

The three of them walked over, hesitance pawing at the edges of their concern. He may have just done the impossible and brought someone back from the dead, but they still didn’t know what he was plotting. What he was planning to do with her, or any of them for that matter. They had to be by the Doctor’s side, to protect her. 

As Yaz went to step inside the van, the Master slammed a hand against the door, blocking the entrance. He leant forward slowly, she tried not to flinch or back away at the sudden invasion of personal space. He was like a cat playing with its food, with that predatorial look in his eyes and a smirk that sent a shiver through her entire being.

“If it were up to me,” he moved closer, dropping his voice low. “I’d kill every single one of you pathetic little children. Understood?”

Yaz swallowed her fear and lifted her head, braving to look him in the eye.

“Understood.” She was quieter than intended, but she stood her ground and didn’t break eye contact.

A grin spread wide over his face as he slowly sank back against the van door, dropping his arm back down. Yaz let out a shaky breath and stepped inside, Graham and Ryan following suit.

It was definitely different to the last time they’d seen it. A red glowing console sat in the center of the room while the walls and floor were now a cold, dark metal rather than the wood panelling that had been there before. It also felt much smaller, more cramped, however a dark archway sat behind the console obviously leading to the rest of the ship. Despite all of this, the mountains of books, files, magazines, folders, and just general clutter all still remained. Graham glanced at the shelf on the wall.

_I’ve got a whole shelf over there all about the Doctor. Everything I could gather_

_Do you want to have a look?_

He broke his gaze and snapped his attention to literally anything else, trying to ignore the curiosity gnawing away at him, the memory that was creeping at the back of his mind.

The door slammed shut behind them and the Master walked up to the console, twisting dials and pressing buttons. Pulling a lever, he spun on his heel and sat back against the panel. He crossed his arms and glared at the three of them as the TARDIS began to groan.

He didn’t move a muscle, just stood there and stared daggers at them all.

The humans continued to take in their surroundings, frequently glancing back at him. Afraid that he’d pounce on them at any second.

With a low _clunk_ , the TARDIS shook. They’d landed.

“Andromeda. Deep space. Touch anything and I will _personally_ throw you out those doors myself.” He put a hand to one of his hearts and looked at them with wide eyes and a warm smile, as if the threat was a kind and selfless offer. His face dropped back down to a scowl. “Don’t go anywhere.”

And he was gone. Round the console and through the archway, into the depths of the ship.

Yaz, Ryan, and Graham just stood there. A lot had just happened. Like _a lot_ a lot. Where do they even begin?

Graham leant against a pile of books with a sigh. “I don’t know about you two but I’m desperate for a cuppa.”


	4. Beautiful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor wakes up and discusses what happened with the Master, much to his amusement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my chapterly - "I LOVE EVERY SINGLE COMMENT THAT Y'ALL LEAVE. ALL OF EM. I AM AN ABSOLUTE HOE FOR COMMENTS AND I LOVE Y'ALL SM"
> 
> guess I lied about time between chapters being decreased, whoops lol.
> 
> hopefully I'll be able to bust out more for y'all with this quarantine. Super stress, but lots of time for writing <3 
> 
> stay safe everyone!

She was beautiful.

Even while hooked up to a thousand different wires, dirt streaking her hair, shirt soaked with blood, and the gaping hole in her stomach. She was still beautiful.

It wasn’t just this new form either, as stunning as it was. It was _her_. Who she was. Her very essence and being that was truly captivating. The way she fought and saved, her pure rage and total wonder at the universe, her cruelty and kindness. She was mesmerising.

_Beautiful._

He would never tell her that though.

He pushed himself away from the wall and shrugged out of his jacket, hanging it over the back of a chair. The Doctor was laid out on a slab of marble in the middle of the room, Gallifreyan carved into the sides and painted a deep gold. He traced a finger along one of the grooves and the symbols started to glow.

The wires lit up one by one as everything came to life, including the Doctor. Her eyes were wide open and she was gasping for air. She instinctively grabbed his arm as she oriented herself. Her grip wasn’t strong but her skin was cool against his. Finally slowing her breathing, she settled into consciousness. Her hearts slowed and she felt the panic slip away. She let go of his arm and he let go of the breath he’d been holding, the place where her hand had been suddenly feeling exposed. Propping herself up on her elbows she looked around the room, taking in her surroundings.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a proper med-bay in about, what, 3 regenerations now?” Her voice was weak, but it was actually her. Alive.

“And you wonder why you keep dying.”

“Excuse me, I don’t keep-” she glanced down at the blood on her shirt. “Shut up.”

She looked up, finally meeting his eyes. God, she’d missed those eyes. Normally filled with hate and contempt. But the way he was looking at her now, it made her hearts flutter. She couldn’t tell if it was just the blood loss messing with her head, but he seemed warmer, affectionate. Loving. A grin spread across her face.

“You came.” She said. Her voice still feeble but her smile shining bright.

Realising the way he was looking at her, he snapped his gaze away and dropped any and all emotion. He busied himself with inspecting her wound. Her grin faded, it probably was just in her head.

“You gonna tell me what happened? Or am I just gonna have to speculate on how you managed to impale yourself at 3am in the middle of the street.” He pulled her top up slightly, peeling the fabric away from the exposed flesh. His fingers lightly grazed her skin and she could feel butterflies in her stomach. Well, what was left of her stomach.

“I didn’t do it to myself. You know sometimes you need to give me a little more credit. Surprise, surprise I am actually semi-competent.” She sent a scowl in his direction. He matched it, crossing his arms with a smirk as he leant against the marble.

“Oh really?”

“Yes really.” Her face was the epitome of _smug_.

“So. What was it then?”

Her cheeks flared red. “Huh?”

“What fearsome creature bested you, _the Doctor_ , in battle?” He said theatrically, sarcasm dripping off every word.

They glared at one another for just a moment, before she dropped from her elbows and fell flat on her back, her stare boring a hole in the ceiling as she tried desperately not to look at him.

She scrunched her eyes shut and mumbled something unintelligible. The Master stepped forward into her field of vision and pressed two fingers behind his ear.

“Sorry, didn’t quite catch that, love.”

She pulled her gaze away from the ceiling, heat rising in her cheeks, and gave him her most scathing look.

“Slitheen.”

He looked her dead in the eye. “Slitheen?”

“Slitheen.”

Laughter erupted from him. He was bent double, clutching at his sides just cackling. 

“Master.” She said with a roll of her eyes.

He collapsed into the chair, tears streaming down his face, as he kept repeating “Slitheen” under his breath in disbelief.

“ _Master._ ” She tried to hide the smile that was creeping over her.

“I just- I don’t- How?“ He was wheezing now, one hand on his chest as he tried to speak.

“I miscounted! Thought there were only 3, last one snuck up on me. Git.” She had broken into a full smile now, trying to hold down the laughter that was creeping up her throat.

It wasn’t long before the two of them were howling, not even trying to speak. She’d missed this. They’d both missed this. No matter how many times either one of them destroyed Gallifrey, betrayed or abandoned the other, killed their friends, destroyed worlds, did truly _terrible_ things, they always ended up back here. Those two boys that skipped classes and ran through fields, carefree like there was nothing but the pair of them. Here they were again, Gallifrey forgotten, the Kasaavin forgotten, the Cybermen forgotten. Just them. The Doctor and the Master giggling like children, did anything else really matter?

A soft beeping silenced them both, yanking them away from the privacy of their little bubble, pulling them back into the real world.

“What’s that?” The Doctor frantically looked either side of her, searching for the source of the noise.

“You’d know if you actually bothered to use the med-bay once in a while.” The Master teased, slinking out of the chair and over to her. “You do know you have one right. Every TARDIS has one.”

She grumbled as he fiddled with a variety of wires. She didn’t want to admit she’d actually lost the med-bay years ago after fiddling about with the room orientation system. It was still there somewhere, but it would take a lifetime to navigate her way round the TARDIS manually. She’d just accepted its loss and hoped it would turn up one day.

The Master twisted a final wire and stepped back, looking at the side of the slab as some of the sigils lit up. His face dropped, confusion contorting his features.

“What?” His voice was low. Serious. He moved back to the wires, fussing about with them with a bit more urgency.

“What do you mean _what_ , don’t just say _what_ . _What_ isn’t very reassuring.” She said, trying to suppress the panic racing through her.

He stepped back again and watched the sigils light up once more, in the exact same pattern as before. He ran both hands through his hair, squinting at the Doctor’s stomach. 

“ _What?_ ” He reiterated.

“Maybe it’s wrong?”

“It’s not wrong.”

“Well maybe it is.”

“It isn’t.” He snapped.

The Master slammed his foot into the side of the marble with a yell, gripping the corners of the slab with both hands. He dropped his head, his fringe hanging limply in front of his face. The Doctor stayed silent, giving him a moment to breathe, tension thick in the air.

“You don’t have any regeneration energy.” The Master finally said, lifting his head. There was a mournful look in his eye.

She felt sick. Confused. Sick and confused and _scared_ . How could she not have any? That wasn’t possible. It just _wasn’t_. Suddenly she could feel it, that fizz of mortality. It was cold and left a sickly sweet taste in the back of her mouth. It made her dizzy and the world around her became muffled.

“No. No that’s wrong. It’s wrong. Test it again.” Her hearts were beating out of her chest.

“I’m not testing it again, it-”

“But it doesn’t make sense. I can’t- there can’t be _nothing_.”

“Doctor, it’s why you weren’t regenerating. Your body wasn’t refusing to, it just _couldn’t_. Something must have siphoned it, drained you of every last particle.” He stroked a finger up her arm absentmindedly. It tickled and her skin came up in goosebumps, a momentary distraction from the panic consuming her. The feeling was fleeting, within seconds it was gone and she had to face the truth.

He was right. The Slitheen must have done something when they attacked her, who knows what they’d be planning to do with it. They almost destroyed Earth just to sell it for parts, there’s no telling what they’d be capable of if they got their hands on regeneration energy.

“Look, they probably still have it. We just have to find them and steal it back. Simple.” He said popping the ‘p’. A grin creeped up his face, most likely just from the prospect of stealing.

He spun on his heel and headed for the door, a small skip in his step as he went. 

“There’s just. There’s one thing. Before you came I- I felt myself go. I think? Sort of. It was a bit weird. It felt like dying, but not coming out the other side. If I died how did I come back without regeneration energy?”

The Master stopped dead in his tracks.

 _Because I brought you back_.

He looked over his shoulder.

_I used my own energy because I didn’t want you dead._

He saw her. Eyes wide and curious. Hair mussed and cheeks slightly flushed.

_I’ve never wanted to kill you._

He took a breath.

_And I’d burn every star in the sky to ensure that no one did._

He shrugged.

“Probably just got close.” That cheerful little grin that had been there when he walked away was gone, replaced with a sad smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. There was something he wasn’t telling her.

But she was tired, and every part of her ached. So she simply asked, “Where are you going?”

“To get you some non-ripped, non-bloody, non-ugly clothes.” The smile reached his eyes again and he slipped out the room.

The Doctor looked down at herself and picked slightly at her trousers.

“My clothes aren’t ugly.” She grumbled.

“ _Yes they are!_ ” He sang faintly from the corridor.

She couldn’t help but beam to herself.

She’d definitely missed this.


	5. Fashion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor questions the Master's real intentions while he picks her a new set of clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well it's been a while.
> 
> sorry guys, i really was intending to release this sooner, i guess that quarantine mental health is settling in.
> 
> this isn't as long as i wanted it to be, there was meant to be like a whole other extra section at the end, but i thought i'd rather release something just so yall know im still alive haha
> 
> love yall guys, hope you're doing okay in the quarantine! i'd give advice on staying productive and happy but im v much not qualified to do that at the moment
> 
> hopefully it wont be long before the next one!

The silence of the room sobered her thoughts.

Why was he helping her?

Flashes of their first meeting in these bodies came to the forefront of her mind, his little reveal on the plane and the smell of burning as it crashed. She saw Paris and his hands around her neck, felt the fire that raged within him. That look of demented glee as he killed those poor souls in the Adelaide Gallery. The expression on his face as she knelt before him.

_ Kneel. _

Suddenly the images changed and he was kneeling before her, she clutched a detonator between the two of them as he goaded her on. The Cybermen parading around with the corpses of their ancestors. She could see the redness around in his eyes, along with the anger and hurt that resided within.

_ Become me. _

Their relationship had always been a complex dance of loyalty and rivalry, they were no strangers to conflict. But something had felt different last time. Something final. For once it finally felt like they’d gone too far, like it was actually the end of their millenia long friendship.

Yet here he was.

He’d actually come to save her. He’d travelled god knows how far to help her when she needed it and now he was, what? Bringing her clean clothes? Helping plot how to get her regeneration energy back?

It didn’t make sense. It just  _ didn’t _ . He’d been willing to  _ die _ on Gallifrey after what he discovered, at the very thought of a part of her being inside him. He’d said it himself. So what changed? Did anything change?

Is this a trick?

Is he going to turn around at some point and reveal that this was all just another of his endless schemes?

Is he going to take her regeneration energy for himself and leave her to die?

She shook her head and snapped back to the present as the Master bustled back into the room, bundles of dark clothing hanging over his shoulder and stuffed in his arms.

“Right so I’ve got a few options for you here,” he said, dropping everything into a pile on the chair. He pulled out a long Victorian coat and a matching ankle length skirt.

_ Missy _ .

She felt a pang in her chest at the memory.

“I will say, a skirt did feel very…” He cleared his throat with a smile, gazing at the ensemble in his hands. “Freeing.”

She hadn’t worn a skirt yet. Or a dress. She glanced down at the heeled boots on the floor. She would absolutely not be able to run in that! The skirt would get caught on something, or she’d trip over her own feet and get herself properly killed, not exactly the most heroic end.

“Uh. I’m not sure. Won’t the skirt be a bit tight on the wound? Won’t that hurt?”

“Considering you can’t heal yourself, pressure on it might be exactly what you need. But  _ fine _ . Let’s move on.” His face soured and he threw the clothes onto a new pile in a huff. He quickly perked back up again as he picked out another outfit.

“Oh, what about this? This is a  _ classic _ .” He beamed as he held out a long black leather jacket.

She felt herself smile as she looked at him, so excitable when he wasn’t trying to destroy the universe.

_ He’s lying. He’s lying. He’s lying. He- _

She clapped a hand to her head, pressing down, hoping it would muffle her thoughts. She needs to give him a chance. What if he’s deciding to try again? She glanced down at the clothes he’d discarded. Missy had gotten so close.

“No? Really? Doctor there aren’t going to be any stupid little bow ties or rainbows if that’s what you’re waiting for. This is my best stuff and I’m being oh-so charitable by choosing to waste it on you.” He put a hand to his chest, pushing down the fake tears.

“Hey, I’m actually very fashionable! I wore a leather jacket once!” She protested.

He gasped. “My apologies, I didn’t realise you were such an expert.”

“Right just give it here.” She glared at him as she struggled to manoeuvre herself off of the slab and onto her feet.

She snatched the jacket away from him and shrugged into it, avoiding his face and the smugness that was plastered all over it.

The sleeves hung well over her hands and the leather pooled at her feet. She didn’t even have to look at him to feel the growing smirk on his face. There was silence between them for a few seconds as he basked in the image of the massively oversized coat and she accepted the hit to her dignity.

“Y’know what, just leave. I’m perfectly capable of choosing an outfit without your judgement.” She said, pushing him out the door.

“You’re not choosing this one? But you look so fearsome, no wonder they call you the Oncoming Storm.” He cackled as she balled up the jacket and threw it at him.

She closed the door between them and he grinned at her through the small panel of glass before spinning on his heel and strolled down the corridor.

_ Dick. _

She strode over to the big pile of clothes and picked through it. Everything was gonna be huge on her. The tattered robes, the seemingly endless variations of the same black suit, the billow-y white shirt, the boring old hoodie. It was all going to get in the way. 

She slowly turned around to look at the coat and skirt that had been discarded on the floor. It might be a bit of a squeeze but at least it’ll fit, and the Master was right. Pressure on the wound would do her some good.

She stepped over hesitantly, as if the outfit was going to leap up and attack her.

It’s just a skirt, right? People wear skirts all the time. Hell, if the Master managed to escape the Daleks in a skirt and heels then so can she.

_ Don’t worry dear, looking as fabulous and so so yummy as I do doesn’t make it any more difficult to save the Earth. Or destroy it. Whatever you feel like doing. _

She could hear Missy’s voice in her head, she closed her eyes trying to savour the words. She knew it was just her imagination, but it  _ felt _ like her. It  _ felt  _ like she wasn’t dead, like Missy hadn’t betrayed her.

_ Enough reminiscing dear, just put the damn thing on already _ .

And she did.


	6. Left to Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master considers why he is really doing what he's doing. Considers The Doctor and their shared past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im back baby!
> 
> been a while haha.
> 
> lots of things got in the way, but im feeling good, im feeling productive, im really wanting to tell this story.
> 
> i can't promise ill update SUPER frequently, but i will do the absolute best i can. 
> 
> hopefully i can provide some comfort or just something fun to read while we're all still stuck in quarantine.
> 
> this chapter was meant to be longer, but i just kept getting stuck on the last bit. i decided hey, it's just not working, and im proud of the rest. so here we are!
> 
> i would really like to thank you all for the comments. it was a HUGE part on what motivated me to continue writing. i love to see all of you still writing comments even though i haven't uploaded in so long. honestly it means more than y'all realise.
> 
> thank you so much.
> 
> i hope you enjoy.
> 
> i really hope to see you soon with Chapter 7!!!

His smile faded as he strolled down the corridor.

Why was he here?

Why the  _ hell _ was he here?

He wasn’t sure of anything anymore. Of who he was, who she was. What  _ they _ were. For the first time in his lives, he didn’t have a plan. He didn’t even have an end goal. Did he want revenge or reconciliation? 

He hadn’t been honest with her the last time they’d met. He wasn’t lying, surprisingly, just wasn’t telling her everything.

The truth was, he wasn’t really that angry about her being the Timeless Child.

Well he was. But it also wasn’t that simple. It wasn’t as boring and basic as  _ jealousy _ . It was so much more. It was just an easy excuse, an outlet for his emotions that she wouldn’t question. A believable cover.

When he found out, he was furious. The rage that bubbled underneath his skin was indescribable. He couldn’t  _ stand  _ the Timelords for what they had done to her and for trying to hide the later details of their crimes. He never did manage to recover that information from the Matrix.

Even after all that he still gave them a chance. Maybe it was some leftover mercy from his previous regeneration, but he’d actually given them the opportunity to repent, to show even the slightest bit of remorse for their actions.

Their arrogant laughter still rang through his ears.

Their abrupt descent into screams, on the other hand. Well, that would always bring a smile to his face.

He slaughtered every last Timelord he could find.

There was so much anger and pain and conflict within him. He wasn’t who he’d always thought himself to be. His entire existence was because of  _ her _ . All this time he thought they’d been equals, but now? He literally owed his life to her. He couldn’t stand the taste of it.

But what hurt the most was that he felt  _ sorry  _ for her. The life she’d been subjected to as a child, and she couldn’t even remember it. He was an insect to her. Nothing. How many others had there been before him? How many other friendships had there been? How many enemies? 

How many romances?

The thought made him sick.

And that wasn’t even the end of it.

He had tried so hard last time. To prove himself to her. To prove he could be good. But it evidently wasn’t enough.

She’d left him.

Or, in that case, he’d left her.

Alone on that forest floor, bleeding to death.

_ Without Hope. Without Witness. Without Reward. _

And the worst part? The cherry on top of this mess?

She’d done it again.

He really thought they could die together. A death without regeneration. Just the end, for both of them.

He thought she’d do it, she’d pull the trigger and end them both, proving once and for all they  _ were  _ equal. The last of the timelords in the ruins of their once-thriving empire, finally ending the bloodline. How poetic.

She didn’t just leave him this time, she left an old fool to do her job for her. She really wasn’t going to kill him herself? 

_ If the history between us means anything to you… _

The hypocrite.

Obviously he’d kept a TARDIS tucked away for a quick escape, he wasn’t just going to  _ not _ have a back-up plan. But that didn’t detract from what she’d done.

She’d left him,  _ again _ . Left him to die.

He stopped in his tracks, just outside of the TARDIS console room. Dropping his head, he took a deep breath.

_ Showtime _ .


End file.
